The Friends hope to use Clachan for weddings, funerals and other suggested community uses, such as a gallery for local crafts and arts or a venue for concerts and meetings.

Sarah said that she sees this closure as an opportunity for Clachan to be open for all denominations and development for wider community use. “We are a growing population – new build and restored houses have quadrupled the resident population in the last 10 years or so – in an area 10 miles and more from Ullapool so we need to keep our buildings and use them for many community activities.

“The community’s feelings are of great sadness coupled with determination to keep Clachan going. We have engineers amongst us and they are unanimous in the view that there are no major problems with the roof – no leaking and nothing that can’t be dealt with. We also have an award-winning lime mortar construction business locally for advice. So we aren’t frightened although we recognise that funds will need to be raised.”

Last December a decision was taken at a public meeting to form a committee to seek grants to mend the church which needs up to £250,000 of repairs.

The meeting was told that if progress is not made to secure funding, the plan to put the church on the market would go ahead in January 2017.

Nearly a year on, the community has been told the Lochbroom Parish Church at Clachan will close. A post on the Lochbroom Parish Church Clachan Facebook page confirmed the news: “After heavy reflection and prayer the session of Lochbroom and Ullapool Church of Scotland announce that the closing service at Clachan Church will be on Sunday, November 20 (2016).” The service will be led by Rev Robert Jones from the Ross Presbytery.
A statement from Friends of Clachan Lochbroom said the service marks the end of 1000 years of worship on this site.

It said: “Major events and personalities in Scottish history have touched Clachan. Robert the Bruce may have attended the church in August 1309 when he sealed a Royal charter from Lochbroom. The long list of former ministers includes the famous James Robertson. Although not himself a Jacobite, many of his parishioners were enrolled into the Earl of Cromartie’s regiment and were likely to suffer transportation or execution in 1746. Mr Robertson made the long trek to London to plead successfully for mitigation.

“With such an important presence, both in history and in current community life, there is a strong belief in, and wish to keep, Clachan for the community’s benefit. Weddings, baptisms, funerals, community carols have all taken place recently. Long may they continue to do so.”